Overheated the engine and now not starting

Tiny
GORDS111
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 HOLDEN UTE
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 230,000 MILES
I was driving down highway when I boiled the motor. I pulled over and the engine stopped. I waited a while and then put water in. I picked up with trailer and now have it home. The motor cranks over but will not start. At times it kicks a bit but only a little bit, but does not start, but does appear to be cranking over nicely. Definitely not seized. I have filled up water and currently have battery on charger as I flattened it trying to start.
Thursday, December 29th, 2016 AT 4:19 PM

16 Replies

Tiny
GORDS111
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  • 10 POSTS
As an addition to above, battery now fully charged and cranking over beautifully. Engine firing regularly but not quite starting sort of like when no fuel.
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Friday, December 30th, 2016 AT 4:24 PM
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
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I would be starting with a compression test, report the readings here for further assistance.
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Saturday, December 31st, 2016 AT 3:11 PM
Tiny
GORDS111
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How do I do a compression test
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Saturday, December 31st, 2016 AT 3:40 PM
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
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You need a compression tester that screws into the spark plug threads, crank the engine over and it will give you a compression reading, just make sure that the leads are away from the tester as you don't want a spark jumping and giving you a boot. You may be able to hire a tester if you can't get one from a friend, make sure it is one with a flex hose as you don't have a lot of room to get in, also what model Commodore is it?
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Saturday, December 31st, 2016 AT 3:48 PM
Tiny
GORDS111
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It is OK I just read that I need to get a compression guage, thanks
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Saturday, December 31st, 2016 AT 4:02 PM
Tiny
GORDS111
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Thanks for your guidance it is a 2000 VS ute 6 cyl with about 230, 00km
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Saturday, December 31st, 2016 AT 4:04 PM
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
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OK, comp test will tell us a lot about what is going on in the engine, if you get a comp that is very low compared to the others, squirt a small amount of engine oil into that cyl about a table spoon full and re test the comp, if it comes well up there will be a ring problem if not a gasket or valve problem will be causing the low compression.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-engine-compression
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Saturday, December 31st, 2016 AT 4:21 PM
Tiny
GORDS111
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  • 10 POSTS
Just bought a tester from super cheap. Do I just take out a plug and attach tester and then crank the engine and read the result
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Saturday, December 31st, 2016 AT 4:46 PM
Tiny
GORDS111
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Should I do all cylinders
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Saturday, December 31st, 2016 AT 4:48 PM
Tiny
GORDS111
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Have done all 6 cylinders readings follow
120
50 then with oil 65
3 others were 90
the last one I had terrible trouble getting unit attached which I think ieventually did
but reading appeared to be 0.

Sounds bad to me but then I really have no idea. What do you rthink
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Saturday, December 31st, 2016 AT 9:31 PM
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
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Not good, 120 ok 3at 90 fair to poor 50 and with oil 65 will be valve problems or head gasket and 0 is a big worry try that one again and with some oil if nothing will probably be top end problems, but with the other poor readings, it will be a waste of time doing the heads as the bottom end is just about stuffed as well, may be time to look for a good second hand engine if you want to spend any money and keep the ute, trouble is a VS is worth not a lot these days and you have to weigh up the cost of re engine or scrap it, you will still be looking at 2-3k + to get a second hand engine fitted and do all the extras that will have to be done to ensure that nothing else goes wrong, may be worth getting a few quotes, where are you I may know some one you may be able to talk to first hand that you can trust.
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Saturday, December 31st, 2016 AT 9:47 PM
Tiny
GORDS111
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I am in Highland Park, near Nerang on Gold Coast Queensland
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Saturday, December 31st, 2016 AT 9:55 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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Yeah those numbers are very bad. A normal engine will run about 135 psi and up and you want all of the cylinders within 10% of each other. So the range for yours, using the 120 cylinder as "good" you would want to see no lower than 108.

Hate to say it but I think you need a replacement engine or IF the block and heads test OK you might be able to rebuild that one. Overheating most modern engines is a killer, they don't have the amount of metal in them like the old engines, thinner castings and aluminum to save weight make them easy to hurt.
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Saturday, December 31st, 2016 AT 9:56 PM
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
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I will ask a few mate if they know anyone on the gold coast, I am down in Vic myself.
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Sunday, January 1st, 2017 AT 12:06 AM
Tiny
GORDS111
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Thank you and happy new year you have made a bad situation bearable for me in which I have been able to see for myself what the actual problem is. 25 years ago I lived in Wodonga so just in Victoria
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Sunday, January 1st, 2017 AT 12:41 AM
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
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Ok good luck with fixing the car.
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Sunday, January 1st, 2017 AT 2:30 AM

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